Legs and Hills Workout

For this leg builder conditioning workout, we’ve got some circuit training featuring some killer leg-building strength exercises paired with 5 minutes of hill climbs on the treadmill. Hill running is great for building strength and endurance in the legs and glutes and can help improve your all-around fitness.

Leg Killer Workout

This workout starts off with 5 minutes of hills on the treadmill. From there, it’s right into 3 rounds of dumbbell step-ups, squats, box jumps and skater jumps followed by another 5 minute run. Once you’re done the second run, it’s straight into the second leg builder circuit of deadlifts, lunges, wall sits and glute bridges.

You’ll finish things off with a final 5 minute run and you’re done. Work through everything at a steady pace, resting as needed. You’re gonna hate me for the wall sits and 8% hill run…but you’ll thank me when you’re done!

Here’s how it looks:

5 Minute Hill Run

1 minute each at the following inclines 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%

Choose a speed that is challenging but doable for the 1 minute at an 8% incline. It will feel easy at first but should get quite difficult as the incline increases. The goal is to maintain your speed for the full 5 minutes. I ran at 7 mph. I’d suggest somewhere between 6 and 8 mph depending on your fitness levels.

Leg Circuit #1

Complete 3 Rounds of:

Alternating Dumbbell Step-Up x 20

Goblet Squat x 20

Box Jumps x 20

Skater Jumps x 20

—- Repeat the 5 Minute Hill Run —-

Leg Circuit #2

Complete 3 Rounds of:

Deadlifts x 10

Dumbell Reverse Lunges x 20

Wall Sit x 40 Seconds

Elevated Glute Bridges x 20 (feet on box or bench)

—- Repeat the 5 Minute Hill Run —-

Equipment Needed

Treadmill for the hill runs.

1 moderate set of dumbbells for the step-ups and lunges. Don’t go too heavy on these. They should be challenging but you shouldn’t have to break them up at all. I used 25 lb. dumbbells.

1 slightly heavier dumbbell or kettlebell for the goblet squats. Again, choose a weight you can complete for 20 reps without resting. I used a 16 kg kettlebell.

Box or bench for the box jumps and glute bridge. I used a 20-inch box.

Barbell for the deadlifts. These can be a little bit heavier since you’re only doing 10 reps. I used 155 lbs. If you don’t have access to a barbell or heavier weights, you can do 10 single-leg heavier deadlifts per leg or 20 dumbbell or kettlebell deadlifts.

2 comments on “Legs and Hills Workout”

Another great, butt-kicking workout. With just one modification and permission to slow it down on the run, I completed this leg-killing training exercise in about 40 minutes. This one is definitely going in my regular rotation. Hills are speed work in disguise.